According to a recent announcement on the Times of Trenton website, the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail project received a $275,000 grant from the state Department of Transportation. The money, which Hopewell applied for in April, will be used to construct safe crossings at the trail's junctions with Pennington-Rocky Hill Road and Bailey Drive.

Once completed, the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail would provide more than 20 miles of multipurpose trails in a loop connecting Hopewell and Lawrence townships. To date, more than 50 percent of the trail has been finished, and a final completion is scheduled for 2012.

In the Times story, the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation is considering two options for cyclists and pedestrians attempting to cross Pennington-Rocky Hill Road. One would embed warning lights in the pavement around the crosswalk that would be triggered by switches at either side. In the other option, a button would illuminate lights on a roadside sign that would alert drivers to the presence of potential crossers.

In either case, a median would be installed between the north and southbound lanes for pedestrians to stop in the event that oncoming traffic does not yield. A traditional pedestrian crosswalk would be installed across Bailey Drive.

The project is expected to go out to bid a month after the plans are finalized and for construction to begin a month after that. Depending on weather, construction is to take between two and three months.